We're Back! An Eccentric Return
by JakobiFlyingFox
Summary: In light of the Eccentric Circus' fall, three scare-freaks take it upon themselves to bring the infamous hotspot back to Central Park. The only problem is, the circus needs monsters. Meanwhile, Dweeb is getting more and more impatient at all the hiding done in the museum. Warning: May contain graphic content...
1. Chapter 1

One dark early December night, the air was biting and threatened snow, but none fell. Thin ice sheets covered the ground of New York's Central Park, slicking the concrete pathways and making them gleam in the clear, moonlit night. Three shadows crept earnestly along these pathways, huddled in their thick jackets and boots; they trudged forward in a silent line. The last figure, noticeably heftier than the other two, grumbled out loud.

"Ross, you sure about this? The cops've been through here already and they've cleared everything out. He can't still be here,"

Ross, the lead figure, a thin, wiry fellow, snapped back. "I already told ya Butch, he can and he will!"

Butch wasn't satisfied. "But that was all last week, Ross. You remember all those vans and coppers 'round the place! They cleaned the whole scene,"

"There ain't no way they cleaned _him_ out," Ross growled, stubbornly.

The final member of the group, a wispy sort of woman known simply as Pam, cut in. "Alright, cut it out you two! We're on the same side here. Let's just look for the blasted thing before our digits freeze off, dig?"

The two men agreed. Soon enough, the three converged on the site of the infamous – and now ruined – Eccentric Circus, belonging to one Professor Screweyes. After that Black Friday night last week, during what was the biggest and scariest show yet with hereforto unseen dinosaurian monsters, a giant spaceship felled the great tarpaulin cover and lifted the dinosaurs to safety, literally toppling Screweyes' show and declaring him a sadist in the process. The three were here now, after the forensic drama of the last week, to find something.

Professor Screweyes had mysteriously disappeared after the show, so had most of his goons, and the eerie sort of inviting presence that gave his circus so much attention. It was as his former clown, Stubbs, used to say, "The people come here to get scared. Simple as that". Ross smoothed back his ultramarine mohawk and peered at the site. It was huge and bare of practically anything – most of that was thanks to the approaching winter, but also due to the giant tarpaulin cover that had once dominated this area. The three clambered down into the site and started their search.

Digging through old posters and trash on the ground, Butch wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for. Unless Screweyes had magically shrunk to the size of a mouse, what would he be doing under these old—hold it, what was that? Underneath laid a small metal object, but what earned it the longevity of the gaze was the fact that is was glowing; a slow, rhythmic pulse of small silver and green flashes emanating from the exterior.

"H-hey Ross!" Butch squealed, hardly daring to pick the object up. "H-look what I found! It's…!" He pointed wildly, hoping the metal object would speak for itself. Ross and Pam hurried over to behold the mysterious luminescent object.

Ross bent hesitantly, frowning. "Wait, is that…?" He reached out with a finger and prodded the thing. It rolled a few inches, and the glow vanished like the light of a snuffed candle. Pam stifled a cry of surprise, it had happened so suddenly.

Ross snatched the thing up and peered at it in his gloved palm. It was a screw, a large one, but an ordinary screw nonetheless. Ross' face broke into a wide, pleased grin. "You guys know what this is?"

Butch wasn't sure he should be the first to answer – he would have said the obvious, but something in Ross' voice told him the obvious would most likely not be tolerated. He let Pam speak first just in case.

"A screw," she sounded disinterested. "A really kooky-lookin'…" she paused. "Wait, is that… his eye? _Ugh!_" She covered her mouth with her gloved hands. "Gross!"

Ross grinned wider. "Sure it's his eye. What other screw can glow like that?"

"But, how did it get… out of his face?" Butch felt his stomach drop like a stone.

Ross shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe the crows did him in." He smirked sideways as he tucked the screw into his pocket.

Pam tossed her head, unimpressed. "You tryin' to spook us, Ross?"

"Honest," Ross nodded to himself. "That's the reason there were so many crows – he was scared stiff of 'em. Didn't you guys notice that?"

"Then why didn't he just get rid of 'em?" Pam glanced over her shoulder, like there was a ghost lurking nearby.

Ross looked manically pleased. "He told me once. He said a crow put his eye out. So he kept 'em around, to master his fear."

"So, the crows killed him?" Butch was still a little slow.

"Maybe, maybe not. Ain't out of the question though, there was a ton of crows around here while the Circus was running."

"Ross," Pam's voice broke his monologue. The man turned and noticed she was pointing at one of the bigger piles. Strangely, that pile was also glowing with same sort of eerie brilliance.

"Let's check it out," Ross motioned to his friends to follow. The pile was actually more than a pile; it was a collectivity of metal bits and pieces and scattered among these pieces were some odd, pill-shaped objects where the source of the glowing was coming from.

"What're those, some sort of funky nicotine pills?" Pam wrinkled her nose as they approached. Ross, acting the brave one tonight, scooped a couple up into his hand, like he had the screw.

"They're pills all right, but I dunno of any pills that glow."

"Maybe Screweyes used 'em." Butch offered, huddling into his jacket. Had it suddenly gotten colder?

Ross snorted in reply. "What would he use these pills for?" He opened his hand to let the pills fall, but Butch stopped him.

"Well, maybe they helped the screw get all glowy like that, I dunno." The bigger man snatched a couple of the pills and tucked them into his pocket. "Maybe we can find out more about 'em here."

"I think I already have," Pam said, softly. She was standing over what looked like a crushed bucket and though the words were hard to make out at first, they managed to form the phrase _"Brain Drain"_.

* * *

I was hit by a wave of nostalgia after seeing one of my favorite childhood movies the other day and got this brilliant concept - write a We're Back! fanfiction.

Just in case, the three goons are the characters in the movie that Louie and Cecilia encounter. Thought it would be fun to bring 'em back in ;)

Don't forget to read/review!


	2. Chapter 2

"Places, everyone! Places!" Dr. Bleeb declared, in a tizzy. Well, more or less from what Rex could see. The small figure of the museum director bustled here and there around the big room of the auditorium where the four dinosaurs stood: Rex, the tyrannosaur, Elsa the Pterodactyl, Woog the Triceratops and Dweeb the P -

Rex started, surprised. Where was Dweeb? Normally hard to miss with his distinctive grass-green coloration, Dweeb the hadrosaur was nowhere to be seen. Rex looked around the group – they'd noticed the subtraction of their numbers as well.

"Excuse me, Dr. Bleeb?" Rex boomed across the room. The little doctor whipped herself around to face the great carnivore, even though she was itching to be moving again.

"Yes?" She asked in her high, jubilant tone.

"Dweeb's gone," Rex indicated the spot where Dweeb would have been standing. Dr. Bleeb looked quite irritated.

"Oh dear, missing again! This has got to be the millionth time!" She sighed as she hurried to the doors. "Don't move, I'll be right back."

The dinosaurs didn't move. Well, not true, they did shift in place as they waited, but otherwise they did not move from their spots until Rex stepped off the platform.

"I'm gonna go and see if she-" he was interrupted as the doors opened, revealing a small boy in a black leather jacket and a bright red cap, his scruffy dark hair hanging partway over his forehead, almost into his eyes. He slung his backpack on the floor and grinned up at the massive lizards, his freckles flaring.

"Hey guys, wassup?" He waved his hand. Rex grinned back.

"Mornin' Louie. Good to see you." The tyrannosaur stepped over, his great strides taking him to the doorway in about three steps flat. Rex was a good ten times Louie's size, but the two were still good friends. After all, Louie had done a great deal to help the dinosaurs ever since they came to New York.

Elsa flapped over, landing on Rex's head and peering down like a big purple, scaly vulture. "Why aren't you in school, today?" Elsa regarded Louie's backpack thrown on the floor with something like suspicion. It wasn't that she didn't like Louie, but she was confused as to why this boy wasn't in the 'school' he'd told them about the past week; that he would have to go back after Thanksgiving Recess. Well, it was past Thanksgiving Recess, and the children were back in school now… so, what was this?

Louie smirked as he fished a small yellow slip of paper out of his pocket. "It's a pass from the resta my classes. I'm considered a volunteer here, now." Even for his slight stature, Louie's rough New York accent and savvy little face served as a warning not to mess with this boy.

"'Volunteer'?" Woog lumbered over. The triceratops tilted his head at the boy. "What's that s'posed to mean?"

Louie shrugged. "Means I can help around more,"

Rex smiled down at the little human. "Good for you. I just hope you don't get sick of us that quick."

Louie broke into laughter. "I'd worry more 'bout you guys gettin' sicka me, Rex." He playfully punched the tyrannosaur's knee, the highest he could reach. He looked around the assembled – or not quite assembled – group before him and just noticed there was a missing face. An obvious one, too. "Hey, where's Dweeb?"

Rex nodded in the direction of the doors. "Dr. Bleeb just went out to try and find him." He heaved a great sigh. Louie could feel the breeze from where he was standing on the floor. "This is the second time he's been late."

"Really? How come?"

"Oh, he's been off exploring the museum," Elsa chirped, almost dreamily. "This building is fascinating, you know! There are so many nooks and crannies, small hidden rooms! It's very mysterious and romantic," the way she batted her eyelashes down at Rex made the tyrannosaur nod and hurriedly swallow in discomfort.

Louie noticed the look on his friend's face and stifled a little one-liner that had been bubbling up inside him. "Huh, well we should get the resta this room set up, I guess. The visitors'll be here soon."

"Who's coming, today?" Woog asked as they returned back to the platform. Louie shrugged again.

"Probably not a lot of school kids, unless there are field trip groups. Maybe just parents and their little kids." He paused. "Wait, did Dr. Bleeb tell you guys what to do if parents come?"

The dinosaurs shook their heads in reply. Louie bit his lip. "In that case, we'd better go over some things, first."


	3. Chapter 3

Dweeb was up in a whole other wing of the museum, up the stairs and down the halls, admiring the fossil collection on the top floor. Meandering around the small spaces was no easy task – the Parasaurolophus averaged some thirteen feet in height, and had a rather active, nervous sort of tail that just seemed to get in the way more times than it provided the dinosaur with balance.

Dweeb was a funny-looking sort of parasaur – he had unaccustomedly wide, curious eyes and a long snout with large incisors sticking out the front of his mouth, almost like a rodent. He was scrawny, even for his large size, and somewhat clumsy. Why he was up in the top wing, surrounded by glass cases was anyone's guess.

He stopped by one exhibit of a parasaur – like him – and he grinned widely. "Hey!" He waved slightly. "Long time no see, how're things in there?" He tilted his head slightly to the side and examined the fossil closer. It was a big specimen, but what intrigued Dweeb was the small collection of tooth marks on the animal's flank.

"Ohh, bad news there," he shook his head. "T. Rex?" he asked, as if expecting an answer.

Tapping a digit against the side of his face, Dweeb murmured softly. "Eh, I'd say you're an alpha, least you _were_ an alpha. Crest can prove it." The parasaur's own small crest dropped slightly, as if in shame. Dweeb was nothing short of an underdog back in his herd, before Captain Neweyes came for him. In fact, he was kind of the underdog here as well.

Despite being an underdog, Dweeb was remarkably perceptive and didn't live up to his name in the slightest. He wasn't exactly sure why he had been called that, but he didn't let it bog him down. No one in the group judged him by this misconception, and he knew it didn't showcase his true character.

"There you are!"

Dweeb turned absently to see Dr. Bleeb hurrying over. She was out of breath, and didn't look too pleased for whatever reason. He smiled nonetheless as she approached.

"Hi, Dr.-"

"No time for that!" The little woman interrupted. She tapped her foot as she peered up at the dinosaur through her large, round glasses. "Why aren't you downstairs? We're waiting for you. Oh, the visitors will arrive at any moment!" Her scolding turned to fretting.

Dweeb tilted his head slightly. "You've… been waiting?" Oh dear, this wasn't good. He'd hoped his browsing hadn't caused too much trouble for the group, but apparently it already had.

Dr. Bleeb motioned back the way she'd come. "This way, we'll make it if we hurry."

Dweeb nodded and started off, his lanky strides carrying him much farther than the plump little curator.

* * *

Downstairs, Louie had assembled the dinosaurs on the platform once again, and was instructing them on the finer points of adult interaction. "First off, don't move," he insisted. "Or if you're gonna move, act like robots, like you did in the parade."

Elsa sighed, fluttering her wings. "For how long, exactly?"

Louie shrugged. "I guess until the parents leave. It's okay to move with kids and all, but adults…" he rubbed the back of his neck as he thought. "Well, you guys remember the parade?" He hated to bring the Macy's incident up with the group, but it was necessary – after all, one of the big reasons they couldn't be seen outside was prevention of mass panic; last time the NYPD as well as the SWAT was called out for investigation.

Woog lowered his horned head. "But we didn't mean it," he offered. "An' we didn't hurt nobody, right?"

Louie smiled sadly. "You didn't, but the people didn't know that." He waved his hands, as if itching to move. "We… get afraid of things we don't understand."

Just then, Dweeb appeared. He smiled sheepishly at the group. "Uh, hi guys. Sorry about the – oh, hey Louie," he interrupted himself as he nodded at the boy. "Yeah, I was uh, I was… upstairs."

"Hey Dweeb," Louie greeted, glad to see him. "How ya been?"

"Good, I've been good," Dweeb found it particularly hard to carry on a conversation if you had three pairs of eyes staring at you – especially if one of those pairs belonged to a tyrannosaurus. Dweeb swallowed, hurriedly. "Yeah, just great." He meekly slid by and mounted the platform.

"So, uh, what are we doing?" He hoped this simple question wasn't going to rain down Rex and the other's irritation. After all, this wasn't the first time he'd been late.

Woog answered, "I think we've got a lot of grownups coming in this time," the triceratops flashed his green friend a sympathetic grin. Out of the four of them, this unlikely duo was the closest as pals and confidantes.

"Grownups?" Dweeb wrinkled his snout. "Uh, so what are we supposed to do?"

"Stay still," Rex answered, shortly. He didn't mean to sound so snippy, he was just afraid the parasaur's frequent browsing would take a turn for the worse. Who knows? He might not show up one day. Rex admitted, there was a lot to see in this place, but there was also a time and a place for everything. Dweeb just didn't seem to realize this.

"Stay still? For how long?" Unused to having large groups of adults roaming the museum, Dweeb was understandably miffed.

"Stay still until they leave," Rex's reply came as a grumble. Dweeb decided to back off. If Rex was in a bad mood – he couldn't help thinking a bad mood he'd caused – it was best to just zip it and play along.

So Dweeb sighed and stationed himself in his usual pose: body turned one-quarter of the way, and head and crest raised slightly, like he'd caught the scent of something afar off. In fact, Dweeb had caught a sort of scent, a tickly, irritating type of odorless source, one that – _oh no!_

Dweeb held his breath as a defense against the oncoming sneeze. _Not here, not now!_ He pleaded, squeezing his eyes shut. _Anytime afterwards, but just not now!_ The insides of his throat itched from the buildup, and Dweeb got that lightheaded feeling that always preceded a sneeze. _Please!_

Dweeb was focused so fervently on his inner battle that he wasn't aware of the three or four families that trooped into the room just then. He hadn't caught the amazed 'wows' as the parents lifted their young toddlers up on their shoulders to better see the 'statues'. Elsa, perched atop Rex's head, happened to glance sideways towards her green companion and noticed that he was quivering in his rigid posture. What reason was there for that? Her eyes narrowed in confusion. There was no draft, so he couldn't possibly be cold. And why were his eyes closed like that?

"Rex," she whispered softly downwards. The tyrannosaur rumbled something deep in his throat, inaudible to the museum visitors below.

"I think something's wrong with–" before Elsa could even finish her thought, the unspeakable happened.

The sneeze decided that no weak stronghold of a held breath could stop it and plowed right on through. Dweeb didn't stand a chance. His body stiffened, he inhaled and then, just as a couple had stepped up, sneezed. "Ah-_CHOO_!"

* * *

Oyy vey, this can't be good :P


	4. Chapter 4

The window Dweeb was staring out of fogged up with his long exhale. The parasaur was up in the dinosaur wing again, brooding over the events that day. It hadn't been enough that he'd caused a child to cry with his sneeze, but several of the adults in the room actually left much quicker than they had come in. Dr. Bleeb had hurried after them, offering hasty explanations. He hadn't really heard the full story, but he was able to piece together: "Malfunction in the machinery. Nothing big."

_Nothing big_. He'd almost blown their cover, and if that wasn't big, then neither was the Hudson! Dweeb snorted, causing three of the small glass panes to fog up.

It was no use trying to apologize. There usually isn't a need to apologize once everyone knows it's your fault and that you probably ruined everything and they may think you're sorry, but it doesn't give you the peace of mind of actually apologizing and meaning it. _And I mean it_, he sighed as he straightened, skirting around a display case. _I really mean it; I'm sorry._

In his distress, he hadn't noticed Woog had appeared at the front of the room until the triceratops cleared his throat. "Hey,"

Dweeb looked up, unsurprised. Woog was usually the first to offer comfort and not just to the parasaur – to everyone, really.

"Hey," Dweeb responded in a murmur. Woog tilted his frilled head.

"They ain't mad atcha, y'know?" He comforted. "Rex and Elsa, and Bleeb ain't mad. They just got–"

"Scared," Dweeb finished. He was scared, too. Scared of being beamed back to his own time if Dr. Bleeb decided she didn't need dinosaurs here after all. Scared if people found out.

"Yeah,"

Dweeb's crest drooped, betraying him. He looked away from his friend as he turned back to one of the exhibits. "Hey," his voice a false note of interest. "Take a look," he gestured to a triceratops display.

Woog grinned faintly. "I dunno if I've seen the whole museum yet. Just downstairs." He knew Dweeb was dodging but he didn't really mind. This was history, after all. No, more than history, this was legacy!

Woog gaped at the numerous legacies that were strewn about the room; at the hadrosaurs, raptors, and at the looming T. Rex skeleton. "Wow" He breathed. "Y'know, it doesn't look so bad, without skin and all."

Dweeb coughed, which he meant as a laugh. "Sorta leaves somethin' to be desired."

"At least with Rex, you're scared." Woog's snorted in laughter. "This… this is nuthin'!"

Dweeb smiled then, glad of the company. Woog was a real pal to cheer him up like this. Turning then, the parasaur happened to glance out one of the windows and there he stopped. Of course he had noticed windows before, and he had looked out these windows multiple times, but this was the first time he really **noticed **things. And realized things.

It was darker outside, evening having crept on, but what prolonged Dweeb's attention was it was completely deserted out there!

_Outside… I could go outside._ His smile grew. "Hey, thanks Woog!" He hurried off then, leaving the puzzled triceratops behind.

"Uh, you're welcome, I guess."

* * *

This should prove interesting :3


	5. Chapter 5

Dweeb couldn't believe he had never realized this before; he could go out! He knew about doors, now, and he knew a little more about humans – besides the fact that they had a repetitive habit of screaming at things – that he decided a night out wouldn't hurt. At least as long as he stayed out of sight. _Which I can do_, he thought, perhaps a little too quickly. The parasaur found himself on the ground floor, headed towards the back exit. He kept a wary eye out, just in case he ran into Dr. Bleeb, or Rex, or –

"Love? Where are you headed?" Elsa's voice chirped around a corner. She flapped around, landing on his head and looking down into his eyes.

"Uhh, nothing, Elsa." He tried shaking her off. "I… gotta do somethin'."

"'Something' what?" Elsa persisted, not budging.

Dweeb frowned. "Look, I'm just, goin' outside." He shrugged like it was no big deal. Elsa's reaction could have fooled him, however.

"Outside? Oh, darling, have you gone daft?" The pterosaur fretted. "We-we're not supposed to go outside, and with very good reason!" Her voice hardened firmly. "We're considered a danger to the public, a menace, we _threaten_."

Dweeb cleared his throat. "Look, it'll just be me, and I'll stick to the side streets. And anyway, it's late, not many people'll be out, so y'know…"

"I absolutely forbid it!"

"Elsa come _on_," he almost begged. "Look, I just really need some time to myself, okay?"

"Well, not out _there_ you don't!" Elsa retorted. "What if Rex finds out?"

"Rex _won't_ find out," the parasaur replied, flatly. "I won't tell him." His eyes drifted upwards. "And… please don't tell him, either."

Elsa gave a dramatic sigh. "Oh, very well, I won't. But this is still ridiculous and I am still highly against it!" She huffed, flapping into the air. "Darling!" She called, just before she disappeared down the hall. "Be careful!"

Dweeb nodded after her retreating figure. Of course he'd be careful! He always intended to be careful, anyway. It wasn't really his fault if things went awry when he was around, even if it sort of was. He shook his head. Almost to the back exit, now.

The bright red of the sign glowed faintly in the dimming museum. Dweeb encountered the smallish back door and paused, debating. It looked a tight squeeze, but Dweeb wasn't as large as Rex or Woog and after a few trying grunts and pushes, he'd made it through, stumbling out into the back loading area.

It was deserted, fortunately, and a few leaves swirled around his feet and a crisp late-autumn air met him outside. Dweeb took a deep breath and then exhaled. Pure bliss. It felt positively euphoric to be outside again.

The parasaur giggled with glee as he started off down the alleyway, towards the street. He paused, looked first one way, and then the other. All clear. _Perfect timing_, he thought, delighted. The dinosaur took his first step out onto public ground since the Macy's Day Parade fiasco.

The pavement beneath his feet and his head in the clouds, Dweeb started off at a sort of jaunty traipse across the street and into the Park just across. The trees were bare and all that remained of their summer clothing drifted lifelessly at their roots. Dweeb continued on. _Ten paces from the museum, so far._ So far, so good.

At one point he encountered two runners. Well, he saw them long before they could have noticed him. The parasaur's crest rose and in a flash, he had ducked behind what was – fortunately – a large oak. The mighty tree hid his bright green self perfectly, and the runners passed by, unaffected.

_This is so great!_ Dweeb thought once the coast was clear once again. _Just great! I'm out!_ He glanced back at the path that led back to the museum. By this time, he had been snaked out of sight along the winding footpaths, but this didn't deter him. He was ecstatic! He felt energized and full of momentum. He just wanted to _go_. Somewhere, anywhere, he had no preference.

The feeling of being free… he'd missed it. Sure, being at the museum wasn't all that bad, but nothing, _nothing_, could beat this.

* * *

Ohh dear O_o


	6. Chapter 6

Elsa hovered, staring out the front window; her gaze was so intense it might have shattered the glass if she leaned any closer. Dweeb still hadn't returned and it was getting late. Where had he gone, anyway? What was so enticing? And why couldn't he be back sooner to tell her all about it?

Elsa didn't mean to feel so jealous… she just did. She heaved as genteel a sigh as she could manage without fogging up the windows – fogging up windows meant you were deep in thought, and Elsa for one didn't want anyone to know she was deep in thought. She was supposed to be covering for the green parasaur, but she was getting more and more nervous as the minutes ticked by.

The museum had closed by now, Dr. Bleeb had gone home, and the night guard was on duty. He was a nice chap – Greg was his name. Elsa decided to distract herself by returning to that first night Greg had met the dinosaurs. He'd been flabbergasted, of course – the natural reaction – but he hadn't sprinted away screaming - also another natural reaction. He'd adapted fairly quickly to the presence of extinct reptiles roaming the museum.

"Elsa?"

The Pterodactyl gave a start and nearly lost her balance in the air. She gulped and turned around slowly to face Rex. The tyrannosaur's features were confused. Not in an angry way, more of a what-are-you-doing-staring-so-intently-out-that-wi ndow-are-you-looking-for-someone way.

"Rex!" Elsa gushed, flapping around his face. "Darling, you've no idea! I was just thinking of you!" Elsa's flirtatiousness was usually enough to make Rex beat a hasty retreat, but this time, he stayed – obviously concerned.

He cleared his throat to hide his discomfort at this sort of attention and instead posed, "Do you know where Dweeb is?"

_Bugger!_ Elsa frowned, as if in thought – this situation demanded smoothness. "Dweeb? No, darling, don't believe I have." She gestured with a lazy talon towards the opposite hall. "I thought he was upstairs."

Rex bit his lip. "I… thought I should talk to him. He seemed pretty upset today."

Elsa nodded in assent with a tender smile. "What a gallant thing to do! I'm sure he'd greatly appreciate that!" She hoped she didn't sound too enthused with this statement.

Luckily, Rex didn't seem to notice. If anything, he looked distressed. "I… I dunno, I know this has been tough for him. I mean, it's been tough for all of us, but..." he paused. "He's… moodier, lately."

Elsa nodded again, glad of this excuse to discuss things instead of dodge. "He does seem a tad – lost, if you will." She offered, slowing her frantic wingbeats from before to a hover.

Rex nodded as well. "I just dunno how to help him."

"Well, I believe a talk is just the thing he needs." The pterosaur said, decidedly. She made a shooing motion with her talons. "Now now, go on then."

Rex grinned and made for the stairwell, leading upstairs. Once he was out of sight, Elsa let out a huge, relieved exhale. That was close. Too close for comfort. Any longer and Rex would have… Elsa's attention was diverted to a slow, hesitant creak of a door. Thrilled by this, Elsa zoomed off and was rewarded by the sight of Dweeb as he pushed the door behind him closed with his tail. He looked up with a smile. "Hi!"

Elsa made a slashing motion across her throat, disciplinarian-style. "Now, you've got some explaining to do!" She whispered.

Dweeb took a step back, bumping into the wall. "Wa-what? Why?" he protested.

Elsa flapped up in his face, scowling. "_You_, that's bloody what! You're late! And I had to play dodge-and-fib with Rex just now!"

The parasaur looked stunned. "Rex…?"

"Was looking for you," Elsa finished. "He said he wanted to talk about earlier." Her voice softened a tad, believing her point had gotten across. "He knows you're upset."

Dweeb muttered something, and his crest drooped. "Yeah well…"

"So what did you see?!" Elsa practically threw herself at the parasaur.

Dweeb edged slightly away from the wall, clearing his throat. "Uh well… just went around the park, that's all."

"Were you seen?"

Dweeb shook his head. "Nah,"

Elsa nodded, approvingly. "Now get yourself upstairs!" She demanded, jabbing a talon towards the stairwell. Dweeb meekly trotted away.

* * *

Phew! Made it home safe... ish?

BTW, thanks to all who have given me such great feedback with this story, I greatly appreciate it :D


	7. Chapter 7

Dweeb wasn't sure if he should be scared out of his wits or relieved that he hadn't been found out. Rex just wanted to talk about that morning – easy as that.

The parasaur was surprised to see Rex already up in the dinosaur wing – staring at the big T. Rex skeleton, no less.

"Uh, hey," Dweeb greeted cautiously, waving a claw. Rex turned and smiled.

"Hi, Dweeb." He nodded to the skeleton. He started walking back to the front of the room. "I think I can guess why you're always up here." He chuckled.

Dweeb allowed a small grin as he agreed. "Yeah. So, uh, you wanted to talk?"

Rex sobered quite suddenly. "Yeah, I did." He paused, awkwardly. "Look, I just wanted to let you know that it's okay. It happens." He shrugged.

"To who?" Dweeb sounded glum. Rex was surprised.

"Well… happened to me first day we were here." He looked down the other hall, almost absently. "I almost tripped 'cuz my feet were so close together." He started to laugh. "I'm just glad I didn't, especially with all those kids up there."

Dweeb sputtered. "Woulda been… an interesting day, then."

Rex laughed harder. "Yeah, probably. Probably woulda been kicked out," he shook his head and his laughter dwindled. "So, it's not such a huge deal, y'know?"

"Nah," Dweeb tried to sound nonchalant. "I just wish they'd sweep down there."

Rex smiled and nodded. "So, you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Good," Rex sighed. "So… good talk. Uh, you goin' to the office?" The 'Office' was really a large, converted storage room downstairs where the dinosaurs usually slept.

"Later. I – I wanna walk for a bit." Dweeb started off down the hall, catching Rex's "G'night," before the tyrannosaur retraced his steps back down the stairwell. Once he was out of sight, the parasaur sighed. He was glad that he and Rex had gotten the chance to talk, but he was even gladder of the fact that his little adventure hadn't been discovered.

Rex – as the biggest and the strongest of the group – was the leader. It was undisputed common sense, but it was also somewhat unintentional. Rex was the last to join the group aboard Cpt. Neweyes' ship. Elsa was the first, followed by Woog and Dweeb as the second and third. But whatever the happenstance, Rex was the leader, and the group looked up to him.

Just as they had last week – it seemed so much longer ago – when they were facing down Professor Screweyes and that horrible Brain Drain. Rex was the deciding factor. Dweeb shivered and quickened his pace, trying to shake that memory out of his head. He could see everything plain as day – changing, reverting. It was scary, and he could do nothing about it. That one tiny pill – it was microscopic compared to him or even Rex – had that much power. The parasaur snorted loudly.

He was headed towards the other end of the corridor, also known as the Africa exhibit. He practically sprinted through the doorway and in turn, nearly bowled Woog over, who was just stepping out.

"_**Yah!**_" Dweeb doubled back, waving his arms to sustain his balance. Woog grunted in surprise. And then he laughed.

"Didn't see ya there!" The triceratops spluttered.

Dweeb rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "'Cuz I didn't wanna be seen, horn-face!"

Woog shook his head. "Wanna say that a little louder?"

"Cool it, will ya? I was joking." The parasaur grinned. "I guess I've worn off on you guys. This your first time up here?"

Woog nodded. "These things are amazing! And they're still alive?"

"Yeah," Dweeb replied. He bit his lip.

"Woog, look… I… I went out."

The blue head whipped back around. "Wh-whut? Like, Out-out?"

Dweeb shrugged. "I… needed time."

"Did you… tell Rex? What did he say?"

"No," Dweeb was inspecting one of the stuffed elephants by this time. "And it was just a one-time thing. That's it."

Woog, seemingly satisfied, agreed. "Sure. Why not?"

* * *

Why not? WHY NOT?! XDD

Another installment, hooray me!


	8. Chapter 8

That same night, Ross, Butch, and Pam continued along the Eccentric Circus' grounds, scrounging up nearly everything they could find. Remains of costumes, masks, posters, and even the ruined top tent were among the smorgasbord.

Ross, meanwhile, found another bucket labeled _Brain Drain_, only this bucket was more or less half-full. He gleefully picked it up, scrutinizing the luminescent pills. Not one of the three could explain the mysterious pills, and Ross doubted that anybody else outside would know, either. He had never seen anything like the _Brain Drain_ after all.

He held up his trophy as he walked back to his friends. Pam made a face. "Ugh, that stuff again?"

Ross glared. "Chill out, will ya?"

"I'm _plenty_ chilled, Ross, I'm _freezin'!_" Pam protested, kicking at one of the rumpled costumes.

Ross tossed his head, his blue Mohawk shaking with indignation. "It's December, whaddya expect, anyway?" He carefully placed the bucket on the ground.

"Somethin' a little more worthwhile," Pam muttered under her breath. Fortunately, no one seemed to hear.

Butch, ignoring the argument, had gathered up some of the stray tent materials and proudly displayed them like banners. "Ross, lookit. Some of the tarp is still connected."

Ross smiled slowly. "Perfect." He took one end of the cover. It didn't seem in too bad of a shape – a little ratty but otherwise intact. He nodded as he let go. "Guys, if we keep at this, the Circus'll be back up and in business before you know it!"

Pam was less convinced. "Ross, we're gonna need more than that shoddy piece of tent if we're plannin' on reserrectin' the Circus."

"An' what about Screweyes?" Butch couldn't help bringing him up. Professor Screweyes' disappearance was rather… spooky. "What if he comes back?"

"Then he'll thank us for carryin' on," Ross said, sourly. "An' anyways, we can always get more of this stuff."

"Where?" Butch asked.

Pam looked annoyed. "What are we gonna do, pop into the nearest Kmart?"

Ross raised a brow. "Why not? They're bound to have loads of what we'll need."

"Oh good! Shopping for circus freaks!" Pam said, sarcastically.

Ross ignored her. "An' I'll take these things down to MacPherson's, tomorrow."

"That geezer? What for?" Pam picked up a ghoul's mask and stuck it over her face. "Hey! The lights still work!" Her eyes glowed a ghostly blue in a wizened, gray rubber face.

Butch jumped back. "Geez! Watch it!"

Ross answered coolly. "Don't wanna take these to any drug store. There'll be questions. Mac'll be fine." He glanced up at the moon. It was already waning, but still yielded enough light. He grinned, determinedly.

* * *

_Cause this is Filler!_

_Filling up the time_

_An hour and a half is just too long for uncreative minds!_

**That's right! Get up and be productive! XD**


End file.
